Improved process of tanning hides and skins



NITED STATES BARTHELEMY PIOARD, OF PARIS, FRANCE.

IMPROVED PROCESS OF TANNING HIDES AND SKINS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BARTHELEMY PIOARD, of Paris, in the Empire ofFrance, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Processof Tanning Hides and Skins; and I hereby declare that the following is afull,clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention has for its object the complete tanning of all kinds ofskins in a single day, at the sametime giving to theleather a toughnessand strength superior to that of leather tanned in the ordinary manner.

The means by which this result is accomplished consists, essentially,first, in the employment of the essence of turpentine as the principaltanning agent, instead of tan-bark; second, in the use of catechu and 0tsumac as accessory agents and,third, in the movement of the skins in afalling-tun or under a fullinghammer.

To enable those skilled in the art to understand and use my invention, 1will proceed to describe it.

When ready for tanning, the hides for stout leather, instead of beingplaced in pits, are put into a fnlling-tun which contains a decoction ofsumac, for the purpose of opening the pores of the hides, and adecoction of catechu, in order to give to the leather the desired color.The tun is then closed hermetically and a rotary motion is given toitforsomehours, which causes the coloring-matter to thoroughly pene-. tratethe pores of the hides, and prepares the pores to receive the essence ofturpentine. The motion of the fulling tun is then stopped, the cover istaken off, and the essence of turpentine is poured in. The tun is thenagain closed and put in motion. While the hides are subjected to thisconstant agitation the essence of turpentine penetrates their pores,which the sumac has already opened, and which are being colored by thecatechu, and acts so powerfully as a tanning agent, with all the effectof fermentation, that in a period of less than twenty-four hours thehides become thoroughly and completely tanned.

'On taking the skins out of the tun they can be washed in lye to removethe smell of the es sence of turpentine, and are afterward beaten andtreated in the ordinary manner.

For tanning thin hides-such as those of the cow, calf, goat, &c.theprocess is essentially the same, excepting that salt is added to thedecoction of sumac and catechu.

The respective proportions of the essence of turpentine and of sumac andcatechu vary according to the nature of the hides and the degree oftanning and coloring required.

Excellent results are obtained with the following proportions: Hidesprepared for tanning, two hundred pounds; essence of turpentine, sevenpounds; sumac, ten pounds; catechu, thirty to forty pounds.

This process unites with rapidity and econmy of operation the advantageof obtaining at one and the same working all sorts of hides andleather-a result which is attained by no other known process of tanning.

Having thus described my improvements, what I claim as my invention, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The process of tanning hides and skins by the employment of essence ofturpentine with sumac, catechu, or other vegetable or mineral coloringessence, in combination with the movement ot the hides or skins in afulling-tun or under a fulling-hammer, substantially as and for thepurposes herein set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification beforetwo subscribing witnesses.

B. PIOARD.

Witnesses A. BLETRY, EDWARD TUcK.

